Most of you know that I work out of my home office or car depending on the day. What you probably don't know is that I have an extremely loyal and trusty assistant. Right now her number one job is to make me smile first thing in the morning. She hasn't missed a day yet, so I'm not too worried about the 3 or 4 nap breaks she takes everyday. She'll come around eventually.

Our little girl arrived 3 weeks early on November 1st weighing 7lbs and measuring 19in. Absolutely perfect (if I do say so myself.) I'll continue to be on maternity leave enjoying this little miracle until Spring 2008. See you all then!!!

Oh! Did I mention she was born with a full head of hair?

Clearly, this little part of my site has been neglected.

This time I have a wonderful excuse ... I'm pregnant. My husband and I are expecting our first child this November. Oh-my-goodness! Between dealing with the sickies of my first trimester and at the same time trying to maintain my business I've found it difficult to find time to do anything outside of eat and sleep.

fresh! will continue to be on the stale side throughout my pregnancy and perhaps into 2008.

A note about availability:

Due to my pregnancy and the need to complete other photography endeavors before my maternity leave, future portrait sessions will not be scheduled until Spring 2008.

Many of the families I photograph have at least one furry family member. More often than not the story told involves the pup being the first child. Wow do I understand that! I thought it was only fair to introduce everyone to mine.

A bit late for a new year greeting, but at least it's not February.

If you've noticed that fresh! had gone stale more often recently you weren't alone. Thank you to everyone who checked in to see how I was.

The last few months have been a struggle for my family. Around the end of November my mom became extremely ill from severe complications of Multiple Sclerosis, a disease she has been fighting for over ten years. She's gone through so much and is now (finally!) in the comfort of our home. Her and my dad will be staying with us as we nurse her back to her new sense of normal. It will be a hard road, but I'm happy to say we will be together and hopefully stronger for it.

Understandably so I'm excited to get 2007 in full gear. I have some yummy things in store for DMP including at least two "mini session" dates that will allow several reduced time & priced sessions to be held at one location on the same day. Perfect for those who want to try out DMP for the first time or for those who just want a few pictures for holiday cards and such. The details are still in the works with a formal announcement and bookings set to be made sometime in March.

I'll continue to use this space to make such announcements as well as introduce everyone to old and new product offerings. As always, I'm interested in hearing from you if you desire products or services I currently do not have available.

A big warm thank you to all who have shared a bit of yourselves with me this year. I wish your hearts be filled with joy and wonder and your stomachs with good food and laughter this season and in the year ahead.

There is a text file on my computer that contains hundreds of quotes. I collect them the way others collect stamps or baseball cards. I've been doing this for years. When I get down or otherwise bored with life, I browse through them for inspiration. Here's a favorite:

Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who are alive.

— Harold Whitman —

For this one, I have to resist the urge to shout "yes" out loud. It is so true.